Insanity, with a Head Cold

Tuesday night, I carved a pumpkin:

It's a fish, couldn't you tell? This is what happens when pumpkin carving is during Aquarium Club... Sadly, the pumpkin was already smelling today, and since I'm in a dorm, with no front porch to put it out on, I had to pitch it. Before Halloween. It was tragic.

Today marked the beginning of testing-insanity. I had a midterm in marine biology today (went eh... all I can say is, thank god for curves and bio majors taking the course thinking it would be an easy A), and then a test in geology lab right after (which went swimmingly, love that class). I have an exam in the geology lecture Monday, in religion Tuesday, and one in orgo Wednesday. So, it's going to get a little crazy around here.

And did I mention I have to finish the sock pair by Monday? And that I've only just started the heel flap on the first sock? Tomorrow would be knit-like-a-mad-woman, but, that's when we're doing our Halloween celebrations (Halloween being on a Sunday). So, that involves getting stuff for costume, making costume, and going to Rho Halloween Party.

To top it all of, I feel terrible. I have a cough (nothing major, but obnoxious), I feel my sinuses pressing out of my face, and my entire body just feels sore and weak. It doesn't help that I've been running on minimal sleep for the past week, well, really the past month, because I haven't had a day to sleep in since September. Which is actually the highlight of my weekend: sleeping in Saturday. Anyway, right now, since I'm done with exams for the day and don't really have anything going on tomorrow, I'm sleeping, and drinking some of this fabulous stuff before said nap:

Warm, of course, because that's how you're supposed to drink it when you're sick, and let me tell you, it works wonders (Old Michigan family medicinal, you know?). Oh, and I'm listening to some classical music. Very calming, and exactly what I need right now.

It would probably be in my best interest not to go to Rocky Horror tonight, but you know, it's Rocky Horror, and it only happens once a year. Let's do the Time Warp again!

His Holiness

Last night, I finished a pair of socks:



Pattern: Lace and Cable Socks, by Wendy D. Johnson (in Socks from the Toe Up)
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll, in Terrain Twist
Needles: US1.5/2.5mm 40" fixed Knit Picks Options

They're currently soaking with some eucalan (and boy did they need it - the water turned cloudy as soon as the socks hit it) - so should be ready for wear in a few days (I'm working on making sock blockers, but until then, I'm reduced to laying them flat, without a fan to speed up the process, and in the humidity of South Florida, drying takes a while...)

Today, I had the honor of attending a lecture by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Not only is this man the Dalai Lama, he's logical, wise, caring, compassionate, and hilarious. Man, I don't think I've ever laughed so hard at a lecture before (seriously, he made French jokes, in addition to a bunch of other things that are only really funny when he says it, the way he says it). And his laugh is amazing - it needs to be made into an app or something. Sorry, I have no pics (cameras weren't allowed in if they had a video record function), but it was pretty awesome, let me tell you.

Oh, and when I was waiting for the thing to start (they said get there 90 minutes ahead of time to allow for security, which took... 2 minutes -_-), I knit quite a bit on this sock:

It's Hourglass, in some more Stroll, and converted to toe-up. I've got to say I'm loving it quite a bit - very pretty, and not all that tricky. I'm basically following the charts, and using Wendy's Generic Slip Stitch Heel. A bunch of people have said that this pattern is really finicky, but clearly they've never made a pair of complex cable socks. A few minor cables and P2togtbls? No problem. Actually, the only real problem is that I need to get this pair done before Monday. And I have a gazillion exams. I don't really know if I'll be sleeping at all for the next week...

Monday

I like the Harlot's idea of Random Monday, and I've been meaning to post all weekend. So...

1) I made an Ishbel. I love it. The yarn is awesome - a perfect shawl yarn (don't you try to tell me it's really sock yarn, because it has too much drape to be sock yarn).

Pattern: Ishbel, by Ysolda Teague, made in the shawlette size

Yarn: The Unique Sheep Tinsel Toes, in Prince of the Wood Elves

Needles: US6/4.00mm Boye Interchangables, 32"

2) I have a Marine bio exam Thursday, a Geology Lab exam Thursday, a Geology exam the following Monday, a Religion exam the following Tuesday, and an Orgo exam the following Wednesday. So, basically, I have five tests in a week, and I'm here blogging.

3) I get to see the Dalai Lama tomorrow :D

4) I finished two pairs of socks. One is super secret. The other will have pics tomorrow or Wednesday.

5) I have 20 minutes left at work, and I still haven't written my marine bio abstract. I spend most of my shift messing with charting fonts and excel. So... I'm going to be up unnecessarily late tonight.

6) I should really get on that abstract. Kthxbye.

Mango

Today, there was a farmers market on campus. That in itself is awesome, but what's more awesome is that it's going to happen every Wednesday from now on! I'm talking fresh cheese, pasta, soaps, teas, baked goods, orchids, honey, little potted herbs, kettle corn, and, of course, Florida fruits and veggies. Which leads me to my purchase:

That would be five mangoes, a lemon, and a lime, which got made into this:

I've determined that mango pie is the tropical equivalent of peach pie; it smells almost the same, and it tastes really similar (no, I haven't actually eaten it yet, but I was using a 9" pie recipient and my pie pans are 8", so there was a little left over to make a sloppy turnover-thing, which I have eaten). I can't wait to try it.

In the process of making this pie, I've discovered how to have pretty crusts without a pastry cloth: plastic wrap. Yep, you use it just like a pastry cloth, and it works wonders. Wish I had had the insight to figure this out two weeks ago when I made that blueberry-strawberry pie (which was my first, ever, BTW, making this one my second ever). I've also become much better at the whole two-knives-as-a-pastry-cutter-replacement thing. So, this pie went a lot faster than the last one. I had my first mango-prep experience (those slippery little devils). The best part? I have a leftover mango :D

Speaking of making things, last night I dyed yarn:

About 13 yards of each color, Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool natural as a base. I used food coloring and vinegar to dye, with really concentrated dye, with microwave for heat. The colors are just the mixes you find on the back of the box - 20 drops green for the green, and 17 drops yellow plus 3 drops red for the orange (technically it's orange sunset, or something like that). I'm going to make white mittens, each with a little U on the back of the hand :D

I also finished this mini-laminaria shawl Monday, and it was done blocking yesterday:

I used Knit Picks Shadow, what was leftover from the aeolian; I split the plies to get cobweb weight, and then knit the setup, one star repeat, the transition, then the edging. The thing that took forever was splitting the plies, because the singles for this yarn are really delicate, so I had to split it like DNA - breaking the strand every yard or so to relieve twisting tension, then spit splice it back together. And then sometimes the yarn would pull apart while knitting because it was so delicate. But it was really worth it - it's for the Reducio Sock! swap, so I hope my spoilee likes it!